“Understand, when you eat meat, that something did die. You have an obligation to value it - not just the sirloin but also all those wonderful tough little bits."
Let’s get a little nasty here. The majority of Latin American cuisine is not about the finest cuts of meat. In fact, it’s the leftovers, the discards, and the undesirable parts of an animal that make it onto the plate. The above quote, from chef Anthony Bourdain, sums up this idea. Though in Latin America and the Caribbean, it's more out of necessity than for compassion for food critters.
I was doing some “research” for an upcoming article in the local market. Cow heads, chicken feet, hearts, reams of fried pig skin, and not quite fresh fish were everywhere. While picking up some chorizo, I noticed a vat of stew: a rich looking broth with all sorts of odd bits floating in it. I recognize tripe and liver visually, but the rest confounded me.
“What is this?”
The woman next to me gave me the name in Tzotil, a local indigenous language, and proceeded to tell me how delicious it was with tortillas and a sprinkle of chili.
Sounded good. A $1 lighter and a 1/4 kilo heavier of this rich stew, I headed home happy. It was not unlike a few other recipes I’ve had throughout Latin America, just sort of a conglomerate of insides and savory vegetables. Peasant food at its finest.
We probably won’t serve up too many recipes of this nature for you, but keep in mind that great Latin American and Caribbean food has its roots here. The next time you’re in a Latin or Caribbean restaurant, either in your home country or abroad, be daring. Don’t look for the most familiar food, but the items you would never consider putting in your mouth. The worst that will happen is you’ll have to order tacos if you don’t like it. Chances are though, you’ll bite into a new flavor and a true piece of Latin culture.
